The Writing Plan – Buwahahahahahahaha!

So I started off with my big goals:

Keeping up hope...

TWO First drafts this year. Scheduled for June and November as usual.

TWO previously started books FINISHED (one of my intended is 1/3 done, the other 2/3 done, so pretty much this amounts to a third book).

TWO Edits of previously written books.

And then this is the tricky one: SELL TWO BOOKS. I have 4 that I think are done enough, and TWO agents are currently reading the full of Medium Wrong, so if I get representation for THAT, I will let said agent guide on which OTHER book to push out. If neither wants it, I will continue to shop it, as the agent nibbles of 2 for 2 seems like I have my package in order. I even had 4 more on my list but they wanted synopses so I didn't send, but I had to send a synopsis with one of the fulls so now it is written so those are just emails.

My tactics

Dedicate one hour daily to writing (more on those WriMo months, but I've gotten out of the habit) – blogging doesn't count.

Rotate editing back into my commute time (I really could ALWAYS be editing but then I would be reading much less, so I am going to alternate.)

Get back to PLANNING. No pants for me. I started three books in 2016 that petered out because my plan was too squirrelly.

If I hit writing blocks, other than WriMos, allow short stories to rotate through.


Specifically

January: I will be PLOTTING. Working at both the stories I intend to finish this year and getting a feel for which is more developed. I will also continue querying Medium Wrong if I don't hear from either of the agents that have it in the first few weeks. And I will finish the short stories I started to get back in the practice of actually writing daily.

February: I will edit Kahlotus Disposal Site so I have a #2 ready to go.

March: I will finish the book chosen from my January efforts.

April: I will assess Undoing, another epic—this one new adult, that is meant to be a trilogy, each in three acts and has the first two acts written, but I already know serious revisions, as it may end up rather timely in the current political climate. Also work on plotting my BuNo book.

May: Edit book #2. Which one depends how things go.

June: BuNoWriMo. Which book idea depends a bit how things go between now and then...

July and August: Endangered and Undoing are both epic, enormous projects.... Imma commit to working on one of these in July and August while I also assess and plan the rest of the year.

November: Only other pre-commitment at this point is that I write a book for NaNoWrimo.


Promotion Plan

I have some abandoned (or nearly) spots that I need to get back to. I also want to shoot for blogging twice a week—helpful or at least relevant in the first half, entertaining or at least silly in the second. If I have author interviews I will do those Wednesdays, except first Wednesday which is Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Slightly Lately Insecure… Erm…

So Hallo, fine peoples! Sorry to screech in here tardy. Life interrupted last night and the blogging thing didn’t happen. But here I am… only about 5 hours later than usual, which in some cultures is pretty much on time…

So what am I late for? Insecure Writer’s Support Group First Wednesday!!! Welcome!

Always so judgy...

The question this month is: In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?

Well SHEESH… we all know how MY plans go… Okay, so maybe you don’t. Let me e’splain. No. Is too long. Let me sum up…

Five years ago I had just met my first deadline for a to-be-published by Penguin (Berkley Prime Crime) cozy mystery. I was flying high and sure I could leave the day job by this point in my career. But a thriving book business was also being simultaneously flooded with brand new “I can publish myself” authors.

Now I am not knocking self-publishing. Done right, many authors produce fantastic books. I still hold up Helena Soister’s The Compass Master as one of the best books I’ve ever read. And tons of people do a fine job. BUT, having tried that thing myself, I know doing it RIGHT is more work than just finding a publisher to help you. The trouble was, many people were also NOT doing it right… and sales for people began falling… and then life interfered (bloody inconsiderate sometimes, that life) and so a self-publishing year that coincided with a life pelting me upside the head year threw me off my supposed fast track. This year I’ve published ONE short story and have ONE YA book with an agent. I’ve written no full novels (though I have written a couple short stories). I am scrambling to get myself back up on the rails, but I am butt heavy so my center of gravity is off.

What was the question?
Oh right… five years… Well I hope to GET this agent (or another). I have three fairly done YA books, so if someone finally wants me and likes me, maybe I can get some help for final touches and have that YA career launched. I also have a fairly done mystery I think I am going to try with, but I don’t want to confuse things with the agent process… I know a single agent is what most want to be…

Anyway, in five years I hope to be on a traditional publishing track putting out about one YA and one Mystery a year, with an occasional thriller mixed in for good measure. I would LOVE to break out, but I’ve come to believe you can’t count on that. I just want to be back in my zone. Writing regularly, supplementing my income, getting the retirement stream flowing well enough that at least I can retire as soon as I’m eligible (nine years this month until I can access my retirement money and it is sooner than that that my age and years of service is enough for health benefits in perpetuity).

Is that a plan? Hardly. But I am scrambling here… thus my insecurity…

Anybody have a better plan?

A Narrow Escape and a Plan *BWUHAHAHAHAHAHA*

So I was in group 5 for jury duty and groups 1-7 were dismissed without ever having to show up. I confess to some small disappointment in this. I'd rather people watch than work, to be honest. Though the looming to-do list would have grown. And I have a couple students, who we call scholars because that sounds more important and all, who are at places in their projects where they need regular help. But they probably wouldn't have minded fooling around for a few days instead of working, too, though they are both winding up with us soon, so time is of the essence as they say.

But back to my missing out on jury duty... I still think this would be a fascinating experience in group dynamics. We will see if my number ever comes up again...


And onto the PLAN *BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA*

Two plans, really.

There is the WRITING Plan and the FITNESS Plan. And I feel safe to make them now, as we are approaching start of the school year (a natural beginning) and son leaving home (an ending that might also be the end of my wasting quite so much time)--the real thing this ending means is the end of nightly meals. I am content to eat the same thing for 3 nights in a row, which means I could just cook twice a week.

See, my husband was at home for years, when the kids were younger... then, about 3 years ago he got a full time job that runs into the evenings, which left ME making dinner. I had nearly never made dinner—he is the better cook, and more importantly, likes it better. Once upon a time I could come home and dive into social media while hubby cooked, then after dinner could come back to writing.

Anyway... the Writing Plan is:

An hour a day starting August 1
A focus in August of finally getting Medium Wrong queried
A short story every month other than Wri-Mo months
Broadly a cycle of edit two months/write one month

And the Fitness Plan. I used to walk full way, round-trip to and from work—nearly 5 miles a day. In January I changed exercise strategy, trying to “sprint” more and I put in a bus trip in the middle of my commute. It cut my walking time in about half, which through the cold and ice was nice... I kept doing it through spring as there were no weight consequences. And now it's hot. But I think maybe my body has had the break it needed so that adding on walking again might give me a bump.

As for those sprints, I didn't keep them up. They were hard. I know. Whiny baby. They also didn't seem to do much. What I think might be the better focus is just to get strength-building in there. I plan to do 10 minutes a night, after work before dinner, alternating core and extremities by day.

Anybody else thinking about plans?

2016's Gunna ROCK

And now we reach one of my favorite annual rituals. The PLAN *buwahahahahahaha*

Now if you've known me a while, you know I always make a plan, and it is hit and miss on whether I follow through. But I have a history of doing better on even years, and I also seem to do best when I have dropped into a pit and so accept the enormous amount of work that needs doing.

So I am hopeful...


The Writing Plan

I have THREE sorts of books I write. Unfortunately, the one I love VERY most is the hardest to sell—the long epic tale. So while I have three of these slated, I have accepted I need to get either my mystery or my YA solidly going before people recognize my name enough to try those other stories.

This year I WILL get one or the other rolling.

Mystery

I think this is probably the genre easiest to break into. (and I've got a bit of a track record, even if I am looking at a break between books) BUT... While I have two first drafts in the series I want to sell, neither of them is the “first book” that I think I can hook a publisher with. One is pretty good, the other needs a serious rewrite because I tried something that didn't work (to do with changing PoVs—this is the wrong tone of book for that). So my next TWO books I write will be part of this series... Then in FALL I will try to sell traditionally, but by the end of year I will have FOUR, so if that isn't going well, I may decide to release one a quarter in 2017 on my own.

YA BEFORE THAT

I have three nearly done YA books (much nearer ready than the mysteries) BUT one doesn't fit style-wise with the other two. Also Appearing will be part of a series, but it is a series that currently only has the one book. Kahlotus Disposal Site and Medium Wrong both have a touch (JUST a touch, but a touch) of paranormal to them. And I have a couple other books I can adapt for this that are WRITTEN (so only need to be rewritten). So my plan is to edit Medium Wrong to “perfect” or thereabouts, and try to sell it in first quarter. Edit Kahlotus while I do that and if MW doesn't sell, try Kahlotus. Between my two mysteries I will both WRITE one more for this series (stand-alones, but of similar genre and style to establish a brand) and adapt another so if neither has been sold by say, August, I will work out a self release plan to start in the fall.


In Sum, that is 3 new first drafts written next year, two BIG rewrites, and several polishing edits.

It is also querying 3 books (1st, 2nd and 4th quarter) and planning a self pub cycle if the first two of those don't work...

I have a calendar, but that is probably less important than the big picture.


And the SUPPLEMENTAL Writing Plan

This is my weakest point... the trouble with my writing success (or lack thereof). I have some mental blocks with marketing... some annoyance with some theoretical ways a person “should” go about it. I don't know how to do this well, but I DO know I have not been doing it, so I intend to make a point of mastering a piece of this each month.

I also plan to work with my newly adopted writing group—cross promotion is part of what we plan and they seem to already be better at this then me, so I will learn from them and work hard not to be the drag on our team.


NON-WRITING

Fitness, fish slap, whatever

Fitness

So I say this all the time, right? I always plan to work on this. But I think I've figured out some boosters for the “old thing that worked doesn't work anymore” bit. I have ALWAYS eaten on a Weight Watcher plan and I walk about 25 miles a week. To that I am ADDING:

Keeping the food between 10AM and 6PM
A 15-minute, 3-Day-a-Week Super-interval thing
A supplement I did some research on

That last is something that would historically have made me very sketchy, but it is all natural so shouldn't hurt and the science analysis on it I watched suggested it really may help. I will let you know if it does.



Theoretically I should have some goals related to home or family, but the family rarely conforms and the home stuff makes me tired, so I will say I will try to be PRESENT and call it good.


How abut all of you? 2016 plans?

Making a Plan to make a Plan

Or something...

So Friday is my LAST work day until after the new year (and there was much rejoicing). I will not try to fool myself into thinking I will do much besides Christmas prep until... you know... Christmas... but THEN I have a bit of time... Y'all know how I love a plan, right? BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Unfortunately, you ALSO probably know how my writing plans stalled out this year. I've written about it a dozen times... changes to the job, husband working full time, child challenges... I could whine and moan for days, but since I already have, I won't subject you to it.

You may NOT know I weigh the most I ever have. I don't advertise it. Though I have advertised how much harder it seems to me to lose these days. My last truly successful loss I was still in my 30s. It is time.

You probably ALSO do not know my house has grown steadily fuller of crap and gotten less and less organized in the last decade. Writing has lots of STUFF (especially for those of us delusional enough to have at one time thought our NOTES might some day be of value *rolls eyes*) and sucks up lots of TIME, and then the hubby working full time so HE is helping less...

So on my break I plan to MAKE PLANS to fix part of this stuff. And I am definitely looking forward to it... making a writing and marketing plan, making a fitness plan, setting a schedule for... maybe a cleaning project a month—wouldn't want to go overboard and the laundry and bathroom are hardly going to learn to sort themselves out, so they will stay on my chore list.

And let me just say... I LOVE THIS PART! I adore making plans. Following plans, not so much, though sometimes I give it a pretty good effort... But it is satisfying to put things in doable steps...

What about all of you? Making any plans over the holidays?

Let Me Check My Schedule...

So it is time for desperate measures.

My writing has floundered far too long. I figure HERE with two weeks until our next insecure writer's group meeting...

Hi. I'm Hart.
Hi Hart.
And I am floundering.

*fish slap*

I am going to try a desperate tactic. I've fallen into a series of bad habits... some shows I like, some YouTube channels I follow, so discussion groups I participate in which fall into the “Squee fan girl” category rather than the writer one... I am reading a ton and that is good, but I am NOT exercising the discipline I need otherwise.

Weekdays

WRITE (or edit) 6:30-7:30 (I can shift by half an hour but that is all the flexibility there is)
PLOT: In the bathtub for half an hour before I switch over to reading (this can be edit plotting or original plotting, but a half hour devoted to plot)

I will DO this thing!!!


In Other News

The Boy Project

I think starting in August I am going to begin a “lasts” feature... My son—my baby, otherwise known as Thing 2—and I started our steps for college application this weekend—sent his ACT scores, put deadlines on a spread sheet, signed up for Parchment.com which is how his school submits transcripts... And I realized this is my last year with him really at home. I mean he may come back, but I know him. He is not my kid who will live at home as an adult. (I can see my daughter living with me if her dad weren't there, and she is still finding footing, so mostly lives with us anyway). But my baby will be leaving in just over a year.

But in perfect timing mode I saw a recommendation about documenting “lasts”. So I am going to. It won't probably be weekly, but I think I will be glad later I've done it.


Love This Blog!

And there is something I've been bad about. I share stuff on Facebook, but why NOT share with all of you when I see stuff I really love (which I do all the time), so I am just going to make a point on Fridays or Saturdays of sharing the week's gems, craft, philosophy, humor... possibly occasional politics, but I will try to limit that to the truly “make you think” stuff.

Part of all of this is trying to rejuvenate myself a bit. I used to love blogging because... honestly, I used to be interesting. I'm not sure what the heck has happened. Maybe a person just only gets so much of that. But I feel like most of the last three years I've just complained or tried to get back on track. So I am trying to settle back in and find what works again.

The Non-Writing Goals for 2015

Fitness:

Know what I've realized? I haven't been truly fit since I started writing. Don't worry. It's not you, it's me... and what I mean by that is I am capable of total and utter obsession, but with a limited number of things. And fitness, to my poor addled brain, requires this obsession. I've never been able to do it unless it is the THING I am doing.

This has to change and I know I need to figure out how, but in the short run, I think I really need to allow the obsession in January so I can get some habits formed. I followed Weight Watchers SO CAREFULLY and SO SPECIFICALLY in September and October and lost a grand total of two pounds. That is a lot of work for a whole lotta nothin... I'm thinking this time around I need to do something I've thought was taboo since I was about 16. I need to get drastic. I'm thinking I will start with a cleanse. I've never done one, but hey, why not? I will look for one that is said to be a nice metabolism re-set.

The other trick I plan to mix into following low-end Weight Watcher points is NO REFINED... no white flour or sugar, no highly processed anything, no fake sugars (really the only sugar source I''m going to permit is fruit and the bit of brown sugar I can't skip on my oatmeal). I think the chemistry ban may help... a bit caveman-ish, but NOT skipping the fruit. Anyone who tells you cavemen didn't eat fruit doesn't understand hunter/gatherer culture. I DO get though, how carbs can prime you for hunger, so I think I may segregate fruit to the early hours of the day (fruit and carbs before noon, none after? Still working on this)

The final eating trick I learned from my friend Leslie... mini-fasts, she called them... confining all food to an 8-hour period. Our bodies, biologically, expect feast famine cycles and work most efficiently this way, so I intend to eat all my food between 10 AM and 6 PM...

Part of that trick ALSO wants you to exercise while your body is depleted to burn of the last of the prior day's food, but walking to work sets me up for this—though I will need to add something weekends.

The gym is also going to make a reappearance. Hell, I'm paying for it already and haven't been since October... And that Flex and Strengthen thing... I need to work it in... I will spend some time New Year's Day hammering this out...

The Day Job:

I know I grumble about this because it interferes with my writing, but I honestly consider what I do very important. I do research geared at reducing health disparities and making my med school and health system a more equitable and welcoming place to work and study for people of all backgrounds. It is stuff that matters.

And I've struggled since our office became this big behemoth. I went from being the single researcher for a physician with disparities interests to being part of a 20-person team with a cubicle. I am an introvert who needs to dive into my tunnel to be productive and I feel like I've really fallen down on this, so this year I pledge to work out a system whereby I can be more productive at this important work—productive enough by day that I can leave it at the office, which is something I've struggled with this year.

My cousins and our families rafting this summer

Family:

Some of this has to do with HWMNBMOTI so does not belong online... suffice it to say we've talked and have a plan that I am committed to. The other is my kids. At 19 and 16 they often seem to not need me, but I feel like my daughter has spun her wheels a bit this year and needs some help finding traction and my son is just entering the 'get that application ready for college' part of his life, so they deserve my diligence.


Reading:

Remember my pledge for one book a month by a blog buddy? If NOT, you can join this, TOO. It is HERE. I really encourage you to--it is a great way to be mutually supportive. I ALSO intend to read a classic every month. And then a third book (when the classic isn't super long) that falls into the genres I try to write in so I can keep up a bit. Three books a month seems about right for my reading speed when I consider I also read a book of my own most months as part of the editing process...


Blogging:

Man, has my blogging commitment fallen off. Part of this is the stress of that reciprocity that I KNEW with the day job I couldn't do as well. And I think that is right. I really can't keep up several days a week if I intend to do it right. So I think my plan is this: Twice a week, plus a guest here and there (maybe twice a month). Monday and Thursday seems to make the most sense (except the first week of the month where Insecure Writer Support Group would move me by a day). That gives me three days to do my reciprocity attempt, eh? That is the part I really need to be diligent about—visiting a few (6-10) blogs EVERY day instead of just the days I blog. I should probably clean up my blog roll, too, to better reflect who is still visiting ME regularly so I see your new stuff as it goes up and not just when I am “back-visiting”

Balance:

This is the trickiest part and I know it. I am STILL suffering burn-out from that serial and the shifts at work. I haven't found my balance yet, but by-golly, I MUST. For me this means getting a bit rigid about a schedule for a while, I think. I can't seem to fit it all in if I haven't given it a place. Everything takes more time than it seems like it should, unless I've set the timer and said “it only gets this today”... So January I am going to SCHEDULE my balance, tweak that schedule in February, and hopefully by March I will have fallen into it more naturally.

So that's the PLAN *BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA*

My Mysterious Year

So I write REALLY a lot of books... and my writing career seems to be doing not a terrible lot. My contract is over—three books, the first sold through and I still get a little check from it every six months... the other two have NOT sold through, which means they don't ask for more, I guess...

My YA books have not sold. Only got close on ONE (had an agent, submitted, no buyer). My serial thriller (self pubbed) has grossed me all of about $40... (which is a significant loss when I look at paying for editing and covers)

So how does one jump start a writing career? Have I been doing this long enough to figure it out?

Tangent #1

Ever scraped a house? Trying to get the old paint off before you are ready to sand, prep and paint again? Know how it's easier to chip away at the old if you start where there is a bubble in the paint or where something has already been chipped away?

That.


I've decided the most promising route to getting there is starting where I have a little traction. Feels like VERY little at the moment, but I think if I really dig in and focus for a while, I might manage it.

Tangent #2

I am belatedly reading a Sue Grafton book at the moment. It is my first time—not sure what I was waiting for except she really was getting big when I was still in my YA with my kids phase and by the time she got to about M I thought she seemed too gimmicky. What did I know? I think she is speaking to my audience. Some humor. Some quirk. But REAL issues. Real psychology, real violence. I don't use a PI for a sleuth, but otherwise I think the feel is right. I finally have a comparable to give my agent and publishers an idea how to frame me.


Why Not Self-Publish?

You know... I honestly don't have the time at the moment. If I didn't have to work a day job, I could handle all the details. But if I had that kind of time, I ALSO might have already made some progress on my YA stuff—the spit polish agent quest or contests or small publishers.


So Why This Focus Now?

I spent the last year writing, polishing and publishing a serial totally more than 300,000 words. And while part of me felt a little burned out focusing THAT heavily on one thing for a whole year, I know now I can keep up the pace, and THIS year, I am not going to do all one project. And I will have the leeway to alternate writing and editing in long spurts...


And What is the PLAN?

BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (you know I can't say plan without a maniacal laugh, right?)

Well right now Ellen has What Ales Me.

And right now I'm WRITING the first in a DIFFERENT series: the Corset Cop Chronicles...

What the heck is THAT? Well, my sleuth is a retired cop who, upon retirement, decided to open a lingerie store... She is in her early 60s and sassy and smart. She has five sons and varied relationships with them. She is to some degree based on a real woman, a woman I knew growing up because the real woman's youngest son is my age... but only the set up... former cop, now selling lingerie, five sons. Everything else (aside from a bit of sass) is fiction.

I managed over 14,000 words of this puppy in my first two days of NaNoWriMo... Progress, baby!

The second series fits the cozy profile better than the ale series, but they honestly have similar tone. It is where I am most comfortable I need the danger to feel real. I need the character flaws to be real.

And I think if I get two series going, I might finally feel myself launched... or that is the hope anyway.

In the meantime I may polish some of my YA. But I am going to hold off on WRITING new YA, even though I have a ton I want to do. I just feel like until I get my real traction, spreading myself too thin means I won't EVER be able to support myself at this. So in the next 14 months... until the end of 2015, my plan is to write THREE new mysteries. One this month, one for BuNoWriMo and one for NaNo next year. That gives me two in each series or, if What Ales Me sells, three Artful Ale and one Corset Cop.

Since Ellen HAS What Ales Me, I hope that will sell right away. But having a couple ready will help my case regardless.


Know What I Didn't Quite Believe Until Recently?

Besides the fact I couldn't do it all?

That a coherent plan was really a prerequisite. My observation was most people had managed anyway. But I think that is because until they take off, there is no way to KNOW what they've been doing.


Do YOU have a plan? How are you coming on it?

NaNoWriMo Countdown

Okay kids... are you READY!?

I finished my hard copy edits on What Ales Me last night. A few small things to address per the DIVINE Elizabeth Spann Craig, plus a read to make sure my chapters all end on a BOOM pageturner... but I should be able to send it to Ellen tonight.

That leaves me the PERFECT amount of time to prep for NaNoWriMo, eh?

This is NOT my backstory

I already HAVE:

character sketches

setting

some backstory


I NEED TO:

Chart my suspects with their motives and the clues my sleuth will uncover

Make my 'goal spreadsheet'

Clean off my desk


Erm... and I might be having trouble committing solidly to one story, as part of me wants to write the second in the series for the one I just finished... I've been immersed in this world, the characters are solid, and if it SELLS I will need more of them...

Always something exciting around here, eh?


Unfortunately, that's all I have time for right now, as this other project is BIG, but once it is done, I hope to have more to say...


Anybody else WriMoing? What do YOU do to prepare?

Buddy me if you want: hartjohnson

Time to Regroup

My cousins & their families after rafting

So much for summer, eh? It flew far too fast and I resent its ending. I know. Petty of me. But since moving to Michigan I have never felt like I got the chance to get TIRED of summer. In my past I loved the beginning of EVERY season and no small part of that was that I was just ready for a change. Each on brought new, great stuff and I could get excited about it. But Michigan's winters are just SO LONG that all fall says to me now is “Winter is coming.” Damn Starks.

BUT there is something about September that IS good. It is my second “new year” of the year. I have two times of the year I am pretty good at saying , “Okay, time for a fresh start” and this is one of them. And it is TIMED well, as I FINALLY published the last installment of A Shot in the Light last week, so I really CAN take up projects without the lingering “what about this?” or the knowledge in the back of my head that I will have to take a break on what I'm working on to dive back into something that is on a deadline. I am DEADLINE FREE.

That is NOT to say I am starting a new book. On the contrary. September and October are going to focus on revisions of a few nearly dones (formerly done, but not so done as I thought?) books for traditional submission (then I will write a new story in November) and get back to revising nearly dones for submission to agents/ABNA in January/February:

What Ales Me

In August one of the main things I managed to accomplish was some READING and some THINKING about how to really strengthen this. I've decided a couple things. Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich's heroine) is WAY too silly for a role model (funny, yes, but the plot falls into campy and that isn't what I'm going for). She also needs rescuing a lot more than any of my heroine's will EVER need rescuing. I like to write rescuers, not rescuees. Damsels in distress sort of piss me off to be honest. I mean I GET the appeal of her two hot guys and I want some of that HEAT. But how much more satisfying to RESCUE the hot machismo man than to have him rescue you, yes? At least much more ME. But I CAN learn from the dysfunctional family, past mistake baggage, and a goofy sidekick or two. So I am giving my MC a more colorful backstory with more mistakes along the way and parents and siblings to occasionally cramp her style. I'm looking forward to the rewrite.


Kaholotus Disposal Site

This one went as far as formal submission previously, but I think my MC lacks spark. Most of my MCs are feisty or funny or smart... Helen (who's a ghost) is timid and scared. I need to figure out a way to infuse her with a spark in spite of it. I ALSO need to revisit my changes made when agented... they all made a lot of sense at the time, but I'm honestly not sure all of them work in retrospect—like I think some of them may be where I lost a bit of the original story. I also maybe need to be a bit more horrible. Erm. Edgy YA calls for it.

Medium Wrong

I have some feedback I need to infuse here and maybe a rethink on pieces of it. I love the concept here, but think it may need an underlying structure overhall.

Also Appearing

This only has a first draft, but I am thinking it is a cornerstone to a SERIES of YA books—each with a big issue, all set in the inland empire of the Pacific Northwest (the border between the Idaho panhandle and Washington State). The series title I've been working with is Chatcolet (a lake that comes up in a few of the stories including this one) but if I can expand it about, I can absort Kahlotus and Medium Wrong under this umbrella, as both have significant story in this area (where I grew up).


As for my November Project:

I actually plotted a lot on my vacation and have worked up a lot of details for my Cozy Lingerie series. The MC for this is based on a real (amazing) woman—she worked at the Moscow Police Department (was a cop when I was growing up—her youngest son is a friend of mine) and then she retired when I was in high school and opened up a lingerie shop. I love the complexity here—a woman who is smart and tough and still embraces the soft, sexy side. She was always no-nonsense, but also very kind and very funny. She really is a perfect heroine for a cozy. I just wish she'd lived to see this series take off—it has had to ferment for a while before I felt ready for it and she passed away about a year ago. I have Mike's blessing though, so I am going to go ahead. It will be my first story fully set in my home town, which will be a little strange, but I think a small town with a college and where any long-timers know the local names—that whole slightly incestuous feel of it all is really good for cozies.

Because this plan wasn't working...

The NON-writing Fresh Start

At the start of 2013 I was doing really good with an eating and exercise plan, but then my job changed, my location changed, and all of it went to hell. I had lost 50 pounds... I've gained back 40. I had NOT lost an additional 30 I wanted to lose... which means I REALLY have 70 pounds I need to get off to put me in a healthy weight range. That said, if I can lost 50 I will at least FEEL healthy. It will be slow, but 'new years' is the time to do it. My mind set is ready for 'fresh start'. I made a big batch of my 'all veggie' soup today (if I can supplement a small lunch with a big bowl of 'free' soup, I feel much less cheated) and I bought some La Croix water things (it said no sugar, no sugar substitutes, but flavor) to fill in for any midweek soda or wine urges—soon it will be herbal tea season, and then I am good with that, but I wanted a cold option. I loaded up on OTHER veggies and also went through the Busch's Olive bar. When I am having a savory craving (which is my weak spot) I've found olives, artichoke hearts or roasted garlic can satisfy that spot. I know all have some fat, but at least they are NOT potato chips. And all of them are the better sort of fat.

A couple of my ABNA buddies are doing it, too, and then my exercise buddy wants to start Couch to 5K again (we've only been successful at this once, but we are DETERMINED).


And FINALLY... I've been blurg with the blog for TOO long—this schedule for publishing the serial has really taken it out of me, but I am vowing here and now to START FRESH, enthusiam for it returned... I've got some topics... gunna shake things up a bit, get back to SILLY me sometimes and a few times a month may do a bit of analytical reading discussion (Game of Thrones is currently in my sights)--my reason is I feel like I LEARN a lot about plotting and character when I do that, and the blog is probably the best spot for it. Always best to reengage the brain, eh

So there we have it. Fresh start for fall 2014...

Any of you make new plans with the new school year? What are you writing this fall?

2nd Quarter Report Card

So we are into July, and while I'm wondering where the heck the year has gone, it is ALSO time to hold myself accountable. But first... a piece of current events news:

No Finals For Me

They announced finalists in the Amazon contest yesterday. I wasn't one of them. I knew, or at least was pretty sure, last week when no call came, but I kept mum, all in the spirit of the contest. The Mystery/Thriller finalist is called The Dead Key and is fabulous (the excerpt available for the contest, anyway, and I assume the whole thing, since it won the category and all.) The others are I'm sure excellent, as well. I encourage you to go read them all and vote: Amazon Finalists


And Now for the Stuff More in my Control

Only not.

I mean it is to the degree life doesn't throw me a wrench...

What I was MEANT to do 2nd Quarter (and whether I did it):

Finish Writing 10, 11, and 12 for A Shot int the Light, but keep in mind this REALLY was meant to happen 1st quarter.  DONE

Polish same, plus 9. DONE (though 12 needs a tiny bit more)

Publish all of the above. Mostly  (11 published 7/2 and 12 is coming)

Revise What Ales Me:  Yeahno...

Revise one of my YA books: Um. No.

Write something in June: HA! Yes!


My analysis is A Shot in the Light took a lot LONGER and MORE WORK than I expected. I will probably always be a person who overestimates what I can get done, but life really can get in the way with these huge projects, and it seems much more noticeable than with 'just a book'.

As for my PLANS for A Shot in the Light... When I am done, I am going to query Amazon's serial arm... I think they may be willing to take it. I have proved quality in their own arena and I think with their promotion, it might do well. We'll see.

I published 11 last week, by the way. Did I tell you that?  12 is with 2nd readers.


So what are my 3rd Quarter Plans?

1) Revise What Ales Me

2) Finish first Undoing Book

3) POLISH Kaholotus and Medium Wrong

4) QUERY Kahlotus OR Medium Wrong

5) Amazon Query Shot (publish in other venues if rejected)

6) Finish publishing Shot and format 3rd paperback portion

I. WILL. HAVE. ORDER!!!

Think if I say that enough times it will happen?

This may give you a feel on my mixed feelings about order

So first I want to throw out a HUGE congrats to those of you who survived and thrived A to Z last month. I missed it in a lot of ways, but I would have been a loser poser who managed posts but not the getting around, and that just isn't fair—not in the spirit of the thing at all.

But now it's May.

And going forward I think I need a bit of structure. I don't really LIKE rules and such, but I've been too scattered for two long and I think I need this to get me going again. So the blogging plan going forward is THIS:


MONDAY: Blog with writing related theme.

THURSDAY: blog a little more personal, which for me is usually silly, but can sometimes be soapboxy, depending on if my soapbox is too sudsy (just got to rinse those suckers off now and then eh?)

ADDITIONAL POSTS: for extra stuff: promoting friends if they need it, IWSG, or straight out news.

But I wanted you to be able to count on original thoughts twice a week no matter what. I know I missed yesterday (today is Monday in my world—I traveled last week for work), but for the foreseeable future, this is the deal.

Speaking of writing...

I pushed send on Rescue Squad yesterday. This is Book 9 of A Shot in the Light. Once upon a time I thought I'd post the last installment this week, but at the time I thought there were 10 so I'm not as behind as it seems. Ten should post in May, 11 in June and 12 in July.

By Friday I also hope to have published the COLLECTION of 5-8, for anyone who wants hard copies or is behind and wants a bit of a deal ($2.99 for 4 books, rather than the $3.96 they'd be separately).

Speaking Speaking of Writing...

BuNoWriMo starts in less than a month. For any of you wanting to do a WriMo in the summer, my writing group will embark on our 5th this year and we invite any of you who wants to join. It doesn't preclude you from joining Camp NaNoWriMo. It is just a Facebook Group that makes it all a little more personal. If you are interested, you can join here.

Self-Analysis and a PLAN and a Release

FIRST, today is the release date for my buddy Jade C. Jamison's latest, Be Careful What you Wish For!

Blurb for Be Careful What You Wish For (Wishes, #1)
Jade C. Jamison

Forbidden desire is just the beginning...

Jessica, a college student struggling with day-to-day bills, is given an offer she can’t refuse. A married woman who is convinced that her husband Kage is cheating on her offers Jessica enough money to repair her dying car in exchange for Jessica’s attempt to destroy the woman’s marriage.

Jessica succeeds but discovers something else—she and Kage are soulmates, destined to find each other.

But as they attempt to carve out their places in each other’s lives, Jessica finds herself plagued with doubts, and she begins to suspect that Kage is once a cheater, always a cheater. Can their relationship survive or was it doomed from the start?



And NOW...

*lays back on the couch*

I was supposed to finish all my first drafts for A Shot in the Light in January. Then in February. Then in March. In April. I think my problem is that writing and editing are different things and every time I need to change gears, I lose a couple days (not to mention the day job, which I've already been into ad nauseum).

But THIS MONTH (May, never mind that there are still three days left in April) I will FINALLY finish this and can get going on other efforts.

So what am I doing from here on out?

I STILL have What Ales Me to revise... so that's first.

And then I have enough books and ideas to put out TWO series of YA books. I think it is time to start cleaning those up. ALL my YA books (fit for consumption) are set in the Pacific Northwest.


Barely Paranormal

Kahlotus Disposal Site (narrated by a ghost, but 'real' as I think of ghosts) DONE (thinking about a contest that starts tomorrow for it)
Medium Wrong (seeing and hearing visions of the dead—again, as I think some people really perceive) This is on about draft 5 and needs the most recent revision completed, but it is pretty close to done.


Chatcolet Series

(Lake Chatcolet is a place I spent a lot of time in the summers growing up. It is the southern-most lake of Lake Coeur d'Alene and this series currently looks like several entirely independent stories that share only time spent at this special place. My MCs will LIVE in a variety of near places and though some of them include spooky stuff, all of it is bound in the real world)

Also Appearing (First Draft done)
One about a sacred burial site and 'disturbed bones'--the lake resort is on an Indian Reservation—the real text is actually about teen bullying and inclusion/exclusion stuff
One about girls 'practicing witchcraft' that is really about repressive religion

There are several more for this in my idea file. In fact I could have moved the two paranormal into the area easily, but I like having them separate because they have the paranormal elements.


Undoing

I mentioned this—it is the one that won't let me go that is NEW adult. A wealthy man is intent on leaving all his wealth to his grandson, but he has a request that goes with it: undoing the very brotherhood that made it all possible.


So my PLAN is:

MAY

Enter Kahlotus in this contest this week

FINISH Shot

Edit What Ales Me


JUNE

Write first book of UNDOING


JULY

Clean up Medium Wrong


AUGUST

Clean up Also Appearing


SEPTEMBER

Query Medium Wrong/Kahlous (yes, both--to different agents)

Write a bit more on UNDOING


OCTOBER

Address any feedback /catch up


NOVEMBER

Write Bones Book


DECEMBER

Choose ABNA book and edit for the contest


So there. At this near 3rd of the year mark, what do YOU have planned for the rest of the year? Do you reassess now and again?

Ouroboros

As the year eats its own tail and begins again, it is time for that annual reflection on “Did I Managed last years' goals?” and “What the heck is the plan for this year?”

I've been known to do a string of these, draw out my goals with piles of specificity, and I believe that helps, but somehow with my two weeks off, I've managed to fill the with crazy 'didn't get done yet' stuff that needed doing. So I will be a bit briefer than in past years.

[I heard that sigh of relief]


Fitness

Last year's goal: Lose about 80 pounds...
Last year's result: Lost 54 pounds, but in the last three months have gained about half back.
Conclusion: I did pretty good, then not so good, but at least this year I only have 50 to lose.

The How for 2014: Weight Watchers, Walking... Pretty much exactly the same as I did it LAST YEAR but without changing jobs and publishing a serial (both of which have made things super hard since July). I find the new year is a good time to just get my nose back to it. If you want the REAL specifics, just see LAST YEAR'S PLAN.

Also... I now have a carpet in my basement and a yoga mat, so I have a more feasible plan for getting some core stuff into my routine.

Balance

Last Year's Goal was about Family stuff, and there we had a pretty good year. I am very proud to say as of Friday, HWMNBMOTI has had a year of sobriety. This has meant some changes at home, 98% of them good. My daughter successfully graduated high school and completed her first semester at community college. There was a juvenile delinquency misstep with Thing 2 and some graffiti, but it is over and there are no lasting repercussions. I've come to accept that my children are just never going to do things the easy way. It is the price of marrying the hot bad boy... tell your daughters.

My 2014 balance goals are a little more loosey goosey. I am trying to get each of my family members to commit to a TV show with me—I know it sounds pathetic, but none of them want to walk with me and the other things my kids would want to do with me all cost money, so we are starting with this.

And READING... I haven't done a specific reading goal before—I sort of fit in what I can between editing and beta reading. But I found one that looks like the PERFECT size, hosted by Lori at Escape with Dollycas. It is to read through the alphabet, which is just one book every two weeks. You DON'T have to go in order. I think it will help me push myself just a little and be a good excuse to work in some of those 'classics' we are all supposed to have read that I haven't managed yet... and it will give me a way to pick WHICH of all of your great books I plan to get to next (because if I don't PICK I end up doing something silly like rereading because I am overwhelmed... this is a way to whelm me... or something)


And then the Writing Plan:

GREEN: 2013 goal MET
RED: 2013 goal NOT MET
PURPLE: 2013 goal MIXED
BLUE: 2014 goat SET

Medium Wrong DID get polished and into ABNA, but didn't pass the pitch stage... I have notes for another revision so I think it will also be THIS year's ABNA (but hopefully with a passable pitch)

What Ales Me: DID have it's revisions and is currently with Ellen (and out of my hands) SUCCESS in terms of what I could control. 2014 plan is to leave it in Ellen's capable hands unless and until she tells me otherwise.

Kahlotus Disposal Site: I sort of petered out on this. After Amy didn't have luck submitting and admitted she'd fallen out of love with it, I decided I needed a little time to think about it and haven't worked back up to it yet. My 2014 goal with it is really to decide where it fits in with my other stuff, as there is a YA PLAN *BUWAHAHAHAHAHA*

Begonia Bribe was successfully released and work prepping Keeping Mum is done. 2014, March 4, I release Keeping Mum (so need to do a marketing campaign).

Wrote Also Appearing for BuNoWriMo and unexpectedly wrote much of a teen armageddon one (Endangered) for what I dibbed March Madness. The FORMER is part of my 2014 YA plan, the LATTER I will release serially, but not until 2015.

And from there the rest of the 2013 plan went to heck because I INSTEAD decided to serially release Shot in the Light, which has been an INSANE adventure—tons of writing, editing, learning... It hasn't been a financial success, and it isn't DONE yet... I've released 5 of 12... it fits better at this point with my 2014 plan than my 2013 review, so lets change gears.


Shot In the Light: Episodes 6 and 7 to release in January, 8 in February, 9 in March, 10 and 11 in April and 12 in May... I am ALSO releasing them in paperback (bundled 4 at a time). 10-12 still need to be written, though there is a path for each character—closer to an outline than I normally do.

That, and the release of Keeping Mum, are big enough jobs that the only OTHER thing I plan to do in 1st quarter is this ABNA prep.

2nd Quarter: Finish Shot release until DONE. Revision of Also Appearing (see plan below), and Writing 2nd Artful Ales Book (BuNoWriMo)--It is my deep hope Ellen will be able to sell the Artful Ales series... I should KNOW by the end of 2nd quarter, but even if I don't KNOW, I am going to release them one way or another, and there will need to be at least 3, so I might as well keep writing.

3rd Quarter: I want to get my YA house in order. Kahlotus Disposal Site and Medium Wrong are both stand-alones that may just have to wait to see how the plan goes. Because I have decided Also Appearing will be the first in a series of 'place' YA books, each independent, but all connected to Lake Chatcolet,w here I spent much of my childhood... it is lake furthest south of one BIG lake that is actually Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, a place with tiny towns, an Indian Reservation, rustic summer cabins... and serious potential. I looked through my book ideas and at least 4 of my 'good ideas' in addition to Also Appearing, could ALSO be set there (or around there) and I think that strong, familiar set of place makes for stronger books. There are a lot of issues that can be hit—some spooky, some serious (there is an Aryan Nation headquarters to the north, so teens thinking about issues of race, there is an area known for 'Devil Worshippers' so good ghost story fodder... and then there is normal teen drama...) I'm excited, know which book will be next—for NaNoWriMo maybe (Summer Bones).

Some of you may not agree with me, and that's fine, but I still happen to think YA can be a lot bigger with a publishing house behind me, and I KNOW how much work self publishing is now. So I am at least going to attempt to make this plan go traditionally. I may change my mind. Querying is at least as painful as sorting all the publishing details. But at least with querying, you reach a time you can let somebody ELSE take over all those details. I will try Amy again, first—I loved working with her and think it was the BOOK that was the trouble, not the two of US. And if I end up with an agent to help with ALL my YA stuff, maybe she can also help sort what PLAN makes most sense (though I do think this series all set in the same place is the right idea).

What about all of you? Do you have a PLAN!? *BUWAHAHAHAHAHA*

In Which Time Fails to Materialize

Wibbly Wobbly, it may be, but somehow the stuff fails to show up when I really need it. I'm really not sure what I was thinking... the PLAN, as it was, was madness...

Which PLAN you ask? *BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA*

*cough*

The one where I format the paperback and load into all the other formats in plenty of time to be available for Christmas...


Obstacles

1)  I got behind on my timing of Book 5 in the serial, so was tangled in production when I should have been writing. This has set me back across the board. I THOUGHT I would be done writing 'all 10' by now... but I am NOT done with 10 and there actually will be 12...

2)  I had a couple beta readers hit obstacles for reading book 6, so that is running a bit behind, too.

3)  Formatting the paperback is more complicated than I thought.

4)  The DAY job has remained SWAMPED. Normally I sneak a few things in on any given day because WORD (which I have at work and not home) plays more nicely with all those uploading programs (I have tried to upload books from home twice now and Kindle doesn't like my home computer. And with no time to steal at work, I haven't managed to do that other formatting, partially for this reason.

Accomplishments

1)  I DID manage to do my final cleanup of What Ales Me and sent it to Ellen.

2)  I page-proofed Keeping Mum.

3)  I edited Book 6 for 2nd readers.

4)  I DID format the paperback. It is books 1-4 of the serial and available HERE

5)  And Joris created the BEAUTEOUS full cover (front/back, spine... did you know dimension of spine changes with page number? I know that now)

6)  And I've written almost all of book 9, started book 10 and plotted a couple character strands of 11... so getting there.

7)  Got my proof copies (and ordered some promotional ones) (I will take a picture, but not probably until this weekend... I'm not sure where the camera is)


Still To Do

1)  Shop, send Christmas presents and a couple gifts... (I know. Not a writing exercise)
2)  Finish formatting for various OTHER formats (can you format for formats?).
3)  Finish 9 and 10 THIS month (plot 11 and 12)
4)  First Edit of book 8
5)  2nd edit of book 7
6)  3rd edit of book 6
7)  If POSSIBLE (which I don't think it is) Publish book 6—this will PROBABLY be early January rather than December.)

So There... It feels an awful lot like I'm making a lot of excuses these days... hopefully my TWO WEEK vacation, which begins at 4 on Friday, will give me the time I need to finish up.

Done and Undone

So there is a little less than one month left in this year, right? So I figured it was time to inventory what I really still needed to do. This year has had some wacky twists to it and I'm not at all sure I've met my goals, though I've accomplished quite a bit. But THAT assessment is something I do the last few days of the month. THIS one is more an “I think I can still manage” thing.

Gorgeous, eh!?

First news... I pressed publish on Book 5 last night and TODAY I will get sent the copies for people who have won subscriptions or have reviewed #4. (Note: I am doing this for ALL of them—the first 10 reviewers get the next book free, and thus far, only book 1 has more than 10 reviews—IFF I don't have your email and you want that freebie, you need to send it to me: hartjohnson23(at)gmail(dot)com.


So HERE'S what ima do in December...

A Shot in the Light Progress

1)  Edit Book 6 for 2nd readers
2)  Format the first SET (Books 1-4) for paperback and other eVersions.
3)  Finish writing Book 9 and write Book 10 (though I now know there will be two more AFTER that)
4)  Edit Book 6 for copy editor and publish it at the end of the month
5)  Edit book 7 for 2nd readers
6)  Edit book 8 for 1st readers

Add caption

Other Writing/Publishing

1)  PAGE PROOFS for Keeping Mum
2)  Polish What Ales Me for Ellen to see if she thinks it will sell (I think it will)
3)  Organize book ideas (I have a bunch of notebooks with scattered ideas and I try about twice a year to put them in a spreadsheet so they are all together.
4)  Make my 2014 plan for writing and editing
5)  Decide on what I am entering for ABNA and figure out what needs to be done
6)  Blog twice a week until the last week when I can do a little more, as I'm off work (see below for reason).

If only we can avoid this...

Job

1)  I have a brand new office and a much bigger (pretty exciting) job. Sadly this means some limiting of my blogging because I don't have time during the day to visit others—I figure if I blog twice a week, then I can take a few days to do those reciprocal visits.

Home

1)  HWMNBMOTI started a new job last month, so I have some extra home commitments... feeding my children now and then... things like that.
2)  It is ALSO December, so I need to do a little holiday prep—shopping, decorating, baking.
3)  Oh, to avoid holiday weight gain... it won't happen, but I can try to limit it some.

Any of the rest of you desperately trying to salvage your year's productivity?

This Week's PLAN *BUWAHAHAHAHA*

So I am here some this week, not all the time, but hopefully better than LAST week (and the week before).


TOMORROW:  Reveal of the Moonless Cover!!!




Wednesday:  Norse Gods Birthday Bash Blogfest!!! (still time to sign up--those Norse Gods know how to throw a party!!! (though Thor is bitter it isn't on Thorsday... erm... that would be NAKED Thorsday in my world... Mmmmm... Thor....)

Warning... if you look up Naked Thor, be prepared for some rather vivid imagery...






Naked Thorsday:  Release of So This Is War!!!! (Accompanied by a FREE day for A Flock of Ill Omens!!!)

Those of you waiting for ARCs of So This is War, they are COMING, but I had some computer challenges on formatting... I will make sure and use my work computer in the future, as my home ones don't play nicely with Word. At ALL. I had to redo things several times and now have three versions, each with different iterations. Hopefully by tonight...

Like Crack (My Nefarious Plan)

This is my plan *BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA*. It's my theory that a serial's success is dependent on how addictive it is. So I am taking a little time to study successful drug dealers.

You think I'm kidding?

Well, okay, mostly I'm kidding. Except not really. Because it makes sense.

And see, once you READ this ill make sense *shifty*

FIRST, I offer up a sampling for free... a BIG sample. It has to be enough to hook somebody, after all... So I plan on offering this puppy (only it's not really a puppy—it's a 100-page book) to ANYBODY WHO WANTS IT.

Got that? You want to read it? It's FREE! Now Kindle won't let me ALWAYS have it free—they are stinkers that way. But they WILL let me have some free DAYS, so for each successive book, I will give the first away, but I am going farther... I am just offering it up to alla y'all here... you want it? Just tell me. And as soon as it's ready, I will send it to you.

I am starting a LIST—so just gimme your email --my email link here works if you'd rather send it privately than posting  (unless you know I have it already—then just shout).

I will ALSO ask you to officially download it on that first free day, just so it goes into my numbers (and so if you want to review, you are a 'verified' reader... And I WOULD appreciate reviews on it... But I am not requiring it. I just wanna HOOK YOU! *cough*

See how glamorous you'll be!

The NEXT drug dealer lesson is then not letting it be too long between doses, or you will get through withdrawal and may not NEED the next one. So Book 2 will be just 2 weeks after book 1... And then Book 3 just 3 weeks after that. I am hoping by that point to have you all good and addicted and then I can set you up in a brothel... wait. No, wrong story.

And HEADS UP!

Reserve the date! September 5 is MINE—a wee blog fest if you don't mind... I will put the details up on Wednesday.

An Interview and a PLAN *Buwahahahahahahaha*

So Marcy over at Maine Words interviewed me and asked some GREAT questions. I think the answers weren't so shabby either... largely about my writing journey and cozy mysteries, so I'd love it if you'd come over and see us!

Also, TOMORROW is the first day of BuNoWriMo... and I have some challenges this year, so I feel the need to commit to specific goals, since they aren't the normal 50K in 30 days goals these things are.


First: The CHALLENGES

1: Daughter graduates from high school Tuesday so I have family in town most of the week.

2: On June 23 (my birthday) my family is embarking on our first ever cross-country road trip. (so I will be partially off line, though I do plan on taking a computer... but what we rent MAY not have in car charging (and I get carsick if I don't watch the road)... So I am 8 days SHORT on computer time...

My PLAN *Buwahahahahaha*

Between the two, I don't think 50K is feasible... So here is my hope:


40K before June 22. And then I will take A Shot In The Light with me (hard copy) to decide where I need to break and what needs to be added/cut to release it as a serial next fall... it won't be the actual editing, so much as a read/reminder and rethinking so I can revise efficiently when we get back mid-July.

(with the door open to keep writing this book

My BOOK

This is a brand new, less than a week old idea that was sort of a convergence of thoughts but I haven't SEEN it and I think I can tell this story well, as I LIVED pieces of it:


Title: Also Appearing...
(YA Coming of Age or Finding Self)

Leah XX feels like a bit player in her own life. A supporting actor. An 'also appearing'. She is the 'nice friend' of the popular girls who never gets the guy. The shadow of her pretty outgoing sister. And the afterthought of her parents' summer plans. But the forced summer at the lake isn't all bad. She meets Trey Schreiber, who makes her feel pretty, interesting and wanted. She feels like a new self is born in her summer romance. Sadly, back at home, her friends all see the same old her. Reliable, boring Leah.

She tries to fight her way back to the feeling of being someone special, trying all the tricks at hand: alcohol, sex, a little recklessness. But as her attempts spin out of control, she begins to wonder if it wasn't all an illusion. Maybe she just wasn't meant to stand out in the crowd.


That is what I can share... I have more figured out, but it sounds too spoilerish as I write it... it is a self-discovery of sorts...